The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Schefflera plant, botanically known as Brassaia actinophylla, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Connie.
The new Schefflera was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Delray Beach, Fl., in October, 1994, as a naturally-occurring mutation of an unidentified selection of Brassaia actinophylla. The new Schefflera was observed as a single plant in a group of plants of the parent selection.
Plants of the new Schefflera differ from the parent selection in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Schefflera are columnar in growth habit whereas plants of the parent selection are outwardly spreading. PA1 2. Plants of the new Schefflera have much shorter leaf petioles than plants of the parent selection. PA1 1. Upright and columnar plant habit. PA1 2. Closely-spaced leaves and very short petioles which give a dense and full appearance. PA1 3. Very dark green and glossy leaflets that are thick and leathery.
Asexual propagation of the new Schefflera by air layers and tissue culture has shown that the unique features of this new Schefflera are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The new Schefflera has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.